Committee signs off on sports betting, if passed, voters could see it on November 2026 ballot

Posted by author March 5, 2025 Gambling

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Dave Williams
| Capitol Beat News Service

Legislation asking Georgia voters whether to legalize online sports betting in Georgia cleared a committee in the state House of Representatives Wednesday.

Because it’s a constitutional amendment, House Resolution 450 would require a two-thirds majority to pass the full House if it reaches the floor. The House Higher Education Committee approved the measure Wednesday on a voice vote.

Under the proposed constitutional change, 15% of the first $150 million in annual proceeds from sports betting would go toward programs and services aimed at preventing Georgians from becoming addicted to betting and treating those who do fall victim to problem gambling. The rest would be used to administer sports betting and to support Georgia’s pre-kindergarten program.

Legalized gambling legislation has been introduced in the General Assembly repeatedly in recent years but failed to win passage. If sports betting makes it through the legislature this year, Georgia voters would decide the question on the November 2026 statewide ballot.

The committee also passed an enabling bill designed to spell out details of how sports betting would be operated in Georgia.

House Bill 686 calls for the Georgia Lottery Corp. to administer sports betting. It would award 16 licenses to applicants interested in operating sportsbooks, including some of the state’s professional sports teams that have expressed interest in obtaining a license.

House Minority Whip Sam Park, D-Lawrenceville, amended the bill Wednesday to increase the tax rate on proceeds from sports betting from 20% to 24%. Doing so would raise an additional $40 million a year for the pre-kindergarten program, he said.

After the committee passed Park’s amendment unanimously, the underlying enabling bill – sponsored by Rep. Marcus Wiedower, R-Watkinsville – was approved on a voice vote.

Both the constitutional amendment and enabling bill move to the House Rules Committee to schedule votes of the full House. The measures will be competing for attention Thursday on a busy Crossover Day, the deadline for bills to pass either the House or Senate to stay alive for the year.